Application of ecosystem service valuation in ecological restoration

Ecosystem services are closely related to human wellbeing. Ecological restoration affects ecosystem services by altering ecosystem patterns and processes. The goal of ecological restoration is to improve ecosystem services. Research regarding ecosystem services is also an important supporting tool in the entire ecological restoration process, in which ecosystem service value assessment plays an important role in ecological restoration. To identify the key scientific issues related to ecosystem service value in ecological restoration, this study revealed popular research fields and trends related to ecosystem services and their applications in ecosystem restoration based on bibliometric methods. The results highlight the role of ecosystem services in ecological restoration objectives, planning and design, and evaluation of ecological restoration effects, in which zoning management, restoration mode selection, restoration effectiveness, ecological safety patterns, and value realization are important issues. This study further clarified the application of ecosystem service value in ecological restoration, including its application in restoration objectives, zoning, restoration strategies, and effectiveness evaluation, which play important roles in ecological restoration projects. Pathways involving ecosystem service value realization and Chinese characteristic cases are then revealed. In addition, the key problems in current ecosystem service value assessment are introduced, including study boundary conditions, spatial and temporal scales, method and model selection, and parameter uncertainty. The key issues in the study of ecosystem service value in ecological restoration are to ensure the matching and accuracy of the ecosystem service value evaluation system, as well as the mechanism for realizing ecosystem service value. Future research should strengthen the selection of indicators for assessing the value of total ecosystem services in the ecological restoration process, tradeoffs and synergies in the value of ecosystem services, the win-win situation of the ecological, economic, and the social benefits of ecosystem services.